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Biomedical subjects

M Del Pesce

Publications and source records attributed to M Del Pesce.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

May preclinical markers of brain infection by HIV be detected? A cognitive, CSF and neuroradiological investigation.

A group of patients with HIV infection in various stages of the disease was studied with regard to CSF, neuroradiological and neuropsychological aspects. A considerable number of them showed signs of CNS involvement, as revealed by abnormalities in all the three fields investigated, despite a frequently unremarkable neurological examination. The findings of CSF alterations, neuroradiological abnormalities and selective cognitive impairment in the absence of opportunistic infections of the CNS support the hypothesis of an early and direct action of HIV on the nervous system.

AIDS-Related Complex↗
PubMed1989

Functions of the corpus callosum: observations from callosotomy performed for intractable epilepsy.

The effects of complete and partial corpus callosotomy in 6 patients are reported. Only the 2 cases undergoing total callosotomy showed evidence of impaired interhemispheric sensory transfer, related to sectioning of the splenium. Only mild long-lasting neuropsychological deficits were detected. Post-commissurotomy mutism and akinesia appeared in 4 cases, 2 with total, and 2 with partial anterior callosotomy. The short-and long-term effects of corpus callosotomy appear to be related to the extent of the section the creation of lesions during the surgical procedure, and a peculiar organization of cognitive functions in chronic epileptic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Neuropsychological changes after callosotomy in drug-resistant epilepsy: a study of the short-term evolution.

With the increasing interest in callosotomy as treatment for intractable epilepsy, it seems to be important to define the neuropsychological consequences of the related surgical operation. 8 patients suffering from drug-resistant seizures underwent section of the corpus callosum, 6 in the anterior part only and 2 undergoing complete two-stage commissurotomy including the posterior part. Before the callosotomy the patients were studied using a cognitive, affective and behavioural battery which was repeated 15 and 90-100 days after the operation. The patients with sufficient I.Q. were described in more detail using the cognitive parameters; the social and motor behaviour of Lennox-Gastaut subjects are accurately reported. No disconnection syndrome was ever observed after the partial commissurotomy while it occurred in one of the two complete callosotomies. The patients showed longer reaction times and a mild impairment of linguistic, praxic, memory and motor functions in the former evaluation (15 days), but there was consistent improvement in the latter check up. At the 90-100 day follow-up the Lennox-Gastaut patients responded more readily to the environmental stimulations and their postural, motor and behavioural functions were unchanged or improved, with respect to presurgical performances. The social and emotional behaviour of all the patients had always improved by the time the long-term evaluation (90 days) was performed. Finally, by limiting the callosotomy to the anterior part only, the neurological and psychological consequences seem to be limited.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Commissurotomy in intractable epilepsy: clinical and surgical comment.

Two patients suffering from seizures unresponsive to medical treatment underwent two-stage "central" commissurotomy. In one patient anterior callostomy was carried out first; in the other the surgical procedure was performed in the reverse order. The clinical, EEG, and neuropsychological features of the two patients are reported before the operation, between stage 1 and stage 2 of the procedure, and after completion of the commissurotomy. The surgical aspects of the two different procedures and the related clinical pictures are described in detail.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Neuropsychological performances in patients treated with different antiepileptic drugs.

Twenty-six patients, suffering from various forms of epilepsy (2 with simple partial, 14 with complex partial, and 10 with generalized seizures) and treated with different drugs (10 with DPH, 10 with PB, and 6 with CBZ), underwent neuropsychological tests in order to evaluate: 1) Vigilance; 2) attention; 3) motor, sensory and adaptive (visuomotor) performances; 4) memory span, short-term and long-term memory, considering verbal as well as spatial aspects. The battery of tests was administered prior to treatment and when the drug plasmatic levels were within the ranges considered therapeutic. The results show that in the case of DPH there is an improvement of vigilance and adaptive performances but a worsening of attention and memory functions. With PB, only motor and adaptive performances improve; all other functions worsen. Finally, with CBZ, vigilance, attention, sensory performances and memory functions are unmodified while only motor and adaptive performances appear to improve.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Efficacy and side-effects of long term L-dopa therapy in Parkinsonian syndromes (evaluated by CT scan as well) (author's transl)].

The evolution of symptoms and therapeutic response in a group of have been followed parkinsonian patients 81 for a period of 4 years. Hoehn and Yahr, and Webster's scales have been used. In addition CT scan, EEG, ECG, blood and urine analyses have been carried out. Treatment was carried out with L-Dopa and decarboxylase inhibitor (benserazide for 50% of cases and carbidopa for the other 50%). Anticholinergics (esp. metixene) were often required. The initial response was satisfactory for all patients except one who had hydrocephalus (with normal pressure). Four years later, the initial improvement diminished by about 1/3. Side effects occurred in 80.24% of cases in the beginning, and in 82.50% of cases after 4 years. Dyskinesias, confusional state and "on-off" phenomenon increased with time, whereas gastric trouble diminished. CT scan were obtained in all patients and atrophic changes were found in 82.7%. There were no correlations between localization and severity of anatomical lesions on the one hand, and therapeutic response and side-effects on the other. It is suggested that the severity of the disease depends mainly on the degree of neurochemical integrity in the affected area rather then to the extent of anatomical lesions.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Recognition impairment correlated with short bisynchronous epileptic discharges.

The occurrence of transitory cognitive impairment during diffuse subclinical electroencephalographic (EEG) discharges has been widely documented but the role of the parameters influencing the cognitive performance and the involvement of motor or verbal response in the tasks used is still under debate. Fifteen patients suffering from primary generalized epilepsy with frequent bisynchronous EEG epileptic bursts underwent a shape recognition task during EEG monitoring. The test sequence was as follows: memorandum, pause, and multiple choice set. After pressing the response button, the patient was asked to confirm the choice verbally. The following parameters were considered: geometrical complexity of the shape, chronological position of the burst occurring during the single test, and the duration of discharge ranging from 1 to 3 s. Results showed a significant increase in incorrect responses during the test when discharges occurred, with more errors occurring for difficult than for easy shapes. Neither the discharge position nor the duration of the epileptic burst influenced the performance. Diffuse epileptic activity of short duration produced selective effects on the cognitive process regardless of the motor component of the response.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Peripheral neuropathy in myotonic dystrophy: electrophysiological and clinical features.

Peripheral neuropathy was investigated in thirty-one patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD) and sixteen relatives. Using standard electrophysiological criteria, a sensorimotor axonal peripheral neuropathy was found in 14 MyD cases (45%) and not in unaffected first-degree relatives. The whole group of the MyD patients showed significant impairment of mean motor and sensory conduction values, compared with controls. The presence of polyneuropathy was correlated with the patients' age and the severity and duration of the clinical manifestations of MyD.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Bromocriptine in Parkinsonian syndromes. Results obtained in a group of patients treated for 8 months].

Antiparkinsonian treatment with L-Dopa gives rise to a number of problems: I) lack of initial response in a few cases; II) side-effects; III) becoming less effective after the first few years of treatment. Consequently, various drugs have been tried to replace, or combine with, L-Dopa. Among those drugs bromocriptine has been described the most effective. Twelve patients suffering from severe parkinsonism, all being intolerant to L-Dopa, have been treated with Bromocriptine. They fell into stage V of the Hoehn and Yahr's scale after 8 days of complete withdrawal of therapy with L-Dopa. Benefit and side-effects have been assessed as follows: a) L-Dopa alone; b) bromocriptine alone; c) combination of a and b. A daily dose of 30 mg of bromocriptine was given for 4 months. This was then reduced to 15 mg with the addition of L-Dopa for another 4 months. The results were: I) bromocriptine scored higher in all patients except one; II) bromocriptine has been consistently less effective than L-Dopa; III) side-effects were similar to those of L-Dopa but less frequent; IV) the combined effect of the two drugs was superior to each drug given alone.

Aged↗